A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Transcription

1 First Reading 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8a A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

2 First Reading Colossians 3:12-17 A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

3 First Reading Genesis 1:26-28, 31a A Reading from the Book of Genesis Then God said: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, The birds of the air, and the cattle, And over all the wild animals And all the creatures that crawl on the ground. God created man in his image; In the image of God he created him; Male and female he created them. God blessed them saying: Be fertile and multiply; Fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, And all the living things that move on the earth. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.

4 First Reading Genesis 2:18-24 A Reading from the Book of Genesis The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him." So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man. So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.

5 First Reading Isaiah 65:17-19a, 21, A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people. They shall live in the houses they build, and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant; They shall not toil in vain, nor beget children for sudden destruction; For a race blessed by the LORD are they and their offspring. Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hearken to them. The wolf and the lamb shall graze alike, and the lion shall eat hay like the ox (but the serpent's food shall be dust). None shall hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD. The Word of the Lord.

6 First Reading Jeremiah 31:31-32a, 33-34a A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers: the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the Lord. All, from the least to greatest, shall know me, says the Lord. The Word of the Lord.

7 First Reading Micah 6:6-8 A reading from the Book of Micah ---- With what gift shall I come into Yahweh s presence and bow down before God on high? Shall I come with holocausts, with calves one year old? Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand, with libations of oil in torrents? Must I give my first-born for what I have done wrong, the fruit of my body for my own sin? ---- What is good has been explained to you, people; this is what Yahweh asks of you: Only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.

8 First Reading Philippians 4:4-9 A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians: Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make you requests know to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is loyal, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received And heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

9 First Reading Ruth 1:16-17 A reading from the Book of Ruth Ruth said, Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you, for wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Wherever you die I will die, and there be buried. May the Lord do so and so to me, and more besides, if anything but death separates me from you!

10 First Reading Sirach 26: 1-4, A reading from the Book of Sirach Blessed the husband of a good wife, Twice-lengthened are his days; A worthy wife brings joy to her husband, Peaceful and full is his life. A good wife is a generous gift Bestowed upon him who fears the Lord; Be he rich or poor, his heart is content, And a smile is ever on his face. A gracious wife delights her husband, Her thoughtfulness puts flesh on his bones; A gift from the Lord is her governed speech, And her firm virtue is of surpassing worth. Choicest of blessings is a modest wife, Priceless her chaste soul. A holy and decent woman adds grace upon grace; Indeed, no price is worthy of her temperate soul. Like the sun rising in the Lord s heavens, The beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home.

11 First Reading Song of Songs 2:8-10, 14, 16a; 8:6-7a A reading from the Song of Songs Hark! my lover here he comes Springing across the mountains, Leaping across the hills. My lover is like a gazelle Or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall, Gazing through the windows, Peering through the lattices. My lover speaks; he says to me, Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see you, Let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, And you are lovely. My lover belongs to me and I to him. He says to me: Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; For stern as death is love, Relentless as the nether-world is devotion; Its flames are a blazing fire. Deep waters cannot quench love, Nor floods sweep it away.

12 FIRST READING Song of Songs 8:6-7 A reading from the Song of Songs. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

13 First Reading Tobit 8:4b-8 A reading from the Book of Tobit On their wedding night Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife, Sister get up. Let us pray and beg for our Lord to have mercy on us and to grant us deliverance. Sarah got up, and they started to pray and beg that deliverance might be theirs. They began with these works: Blessed are you, O God of our fathers; praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself. Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age. They said together, Amen, amen.

14 First Reading Tobit 8:4b-8 A reading from the Book of Tobit They began with these works: Blessed are you, O God of our fathers; praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself. Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age. They said together, Amen, amen.